Shipping container



Nov. 24, 1931. c. J. GATES, JR

SHIPPING CONTAINER Original Filed Sept. 21, 1929 Patented Nov. 24, 19731UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE I. GATES, JR., or CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR rro CHICAGO FIBRE Box COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS SHIPPING CONTAINER Application led September21, 1929, Serial No. 394,217. Renewed August 17, 1931.

The present invention relates to shipping containers and moreparticularly to that variety of shipping container adapted to becollapsed for shipment and storage, one object of the invention being toprovide ay simple, economical and exceedingly strong construction ofcontainer which can be shipped to the i user in a. flat or collapsedCondition and which can be quickly and easilytset up and sealed withoutthe use of any expensive equipment, such quiring the additional laborwhich such equipment usually necessitates.

The so-called slotte'dcarton has several outstanding disadvantagesfromthe standpoint of economy and strengthfor the reason that doublewalls are provided in this type of container at points Where they areunnecessary, thus wasting considerable material; and at points wheredouble Walls would be desirable and necessary this type ofcontainer'fails to providesuch reinforcement. Among the advantages ofthe slotted carton are the com- Each body blank 5 comprises a Side Wan 7pactness with which it can be bundled uwhen collapsed and the ease withwhich it-'can beset up, packed and sealed for shipment since nocomplicated and expensive machinery'is required in these processes. Y

A further object of the invention is lto provide a vuniformlyreinforcing container having all of the advantages ofthe so-calledslot-v ted carton in that it will be collapsible and easy to set up andseal, and also will have the further advantages of being able to safelycarry a Weight per unit of volume substantially twice the weight nowpermitted by the freight classification committees to be carried inslotted cartons. Y

fA still further object is to provide a container'which readily adaptsitself for use with reinforcing bands and in which no further sealingmeans other than reinforcing bands are required. i y

Tofthese and other ends the invention resides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

as a stapling machine, and without rey Referring more particularly tothe drawv ings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the container of the present inventionas it appears when set up ready for packing;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container as it appears after beingpacked and sealed ready for shipment; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the container in a col lapsed condition.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

The invention, as herein disclosed, comprises a container made up offour blanks which are formed so as to reduce the waste to a minimum andin which the blanks are secured together in such a way as to providereinforced corners and also are secured in such a manner as to adapt thecontainer to be collapsed fiat for convenient shipment.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the container is illustrated ascomprising two body blanks-5, 5 and two end blanks 6, 6.

y tom closures for the container. In the present instance thecooperating closure flaps 8, 8 are disclosed as somewhat overlapping butobviously they may be of such length as to just meet at the center ofthe container or they may be made sufliciently long to more completelyoverlap yeach other.

The end blanks 6, G are preferably identical as in the case of the bodyblanks 5, 5. Each end 'blank is preferably formed with a substantialiiap at each side thereof, two of the flaps being indicated at 9, 9 andthe remaining two being indicated at l0, l0.

The flaps 9, 9 are preferably secured to the inside surface of the sideWalls 7, 7 by suitable means such as staples ll (see Figs. l and 3).Aifter the blanks have beenvsecured together at the box factory in thismanner it will be evident that the container is in readiness to becollapsed as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In this condition the closureliaps are all extendedk so as to lie substantially in the plane of theiradjoined walls and the thickness of the collapsed container Will at nopoint be greater than substantially three thicknesses of the materialfrom Which it is made. After the container reaches the user it is asimple matter to set it up ready for packing-...1 The flapsv9, inoverlapping the side Walls and being-secured thereto,..provide a muchstiller vertical corner for the container to thus prevent injury to thecontents of lo placed uponitand also tendl tofprevent'colllapse of thecorners inwardly in cas.e.,.of.a7 heavy object falling against thecorners du'ring shipment-f. Thisc-onstriiction alsoeperfi -mits thecontainers to be vstacked to a considerahle.: height Without danger..of: the lower ones collapsing under the load. v With. .theicontainersetC uplasshown in. Fig.

l,..softhat .theflotver .flaps 110;,.10 Aand 8,28 are...- bent over toclose :thegbottomgthe.containerff 2Mvvill'.thenbe iready.I to. bepanked. After-.ille

container; .hasmeceived its load.the.-,top` naps.: l0, l0 on the endWallsi, 6,arebentoverati right .anglesztoethe end .Wallsv andthesideWall {iaps intoplaea]- sealed in .closdz;condi-tion... Infthapresentinstance..theealingofethe container-ris;accomplishedby .theiise oimetal.mstraps; l2, .12a-and; 13, The-.metal straps The container -is new.ready; tothe 12,; ,12.; ext;end. around the `.bottoineand side.-

Walls-.androver the topgof. tnelcontainerandi the endsnof. they straps.are secured l.together-1.

Witllifa :metalaSealfll-.n The-metaLstraps 13,

353:13 extendiaroundthe iside;.andend; avallsend,

4are likewise ,secured with r metal;seals.;`

In oertain .insta-nceseit; hasbeentzfound. :def

sirable iteglue together the. .overlapping edge a oi flaps 8,-?8 andgalsogto; gluethe vend llaps lOgwlO. tof thegadj-aeentz:surfaces :ofylaps;.-18,8

sthir,ouglinum.the area zot contact. j ln .this

mannen ,of sealing the. container. it Willnot-be.: neQeSsary-to usemeta.l;.straps,.but it the -.lload.. tobeipackedtin. thea container@ is.exceptionally. Wheavyf both methods .of sealing.. theboxgin aybegemployed.

Fromlthefforegoing. it. will .be A,seen that the :,-tpresentginventionkv.provides a shipping container formed. inea .very economical .inane 5omnerewithuyery little; Waste/n., cuttingy the blanks.;A also.7 the,container is strongly .rezinorcednby-.a double;-thicknesspf material'.ivadjacentgfeach tot; the.. :corners ateachz- ,endsx thereof; vsand. at:.the .-:same time, it eis read-ily wcapableloibeing.collapsed to takeup a mini-f.

miim-.amountaof vroom.v Thus the containers may, .Ibe'ishippegdi .andstored. in. bundles so: Aas to. ftaleinip. comparatively .little spaceands yetthey arerinstantly. available for use..vvliereefreinfnrced,containers are. needed.. The pres-.1.entz-.containeiifrisaadmirably .suited ttothe needs v.of a user. of'libre 'boxes Wholrequi-res Aa .1 container.; Whiehefiis adaptedforcarrying` heavy'giloads-andayet Who vdoes nottcareatow gQtothe .expense.of .equipping himself Wthi 8, 8 are also swung-downwandly...

relatively expensive stapling machinery for setting up his containers.All thestapling necessary on the present container is done before itleaves the box factory.

In cutting the blanks 5, 5 it is apparent that With-.properly,selectedwvidths of ystock nonenof thefmateral -vvilllloei4 Wasted-land,asmtothe,4 blanks 6, 6, the only Wasted por- T'hejequipment"necessaryqiorl applying thev tien. iS. a-ttheorners between.liars 9a1ll0- the container byreason-oi"V heavy'loads Fbeingw metahstraps -is relatively- -simple'fand inexrepaire.,

.This equipment is of av common i'o'im and Vrequires no descriptionherein.

Thussbx maldita@ box 0f-thaliana pm"- Y ticularly adapted for use'vvithmetal bands,

tnereisimade availabletoptheiieckenaheap heaslettedcartonand.none.otaitsidisadvantages., .Aften l therese i .ot-,the..11ietalebands.Lmanyfshippers1-.

d; or otherwise-.g e With will ndfit -fdesrable .-tovhave .thebexes leff. turned ifonz.areleadng asf. the f 'boxes 02111.10@c unpacked bymerely cutting the-.bands and-1f.

atten beingaainnacked-they can` beeeollapsed for.returnShipment..v

Theereinouced. .corners-ot the. vleva theef1 ngt1idna11y disposedabends. .taf-be l; drawrnevery tallawtlloutadanger :of defleGt-Y. ingthe. corneraiinwardl-.yf.-.andt11S.-.iS.-t1uex evenineases Where:thefgoocls.witlinrtherbox sli-rink,@somewhatudiiring-PQriod-,.otsteeage,V.

-Wghle therpiiesent.'descriptionSetsiorthea preferred; embodiment.@tithe inventen, mere-us changes-may be ,made .inf ttheeoonefStruotenewthont.departing from.: :-1the.,spr.t.--

@attain-ventina, .lande-it a ist. .heretnret desired i that.the-presentaembodimentfloe considered in all `respects asillnstrativmand notare; Stlititeereterencebeing-.baite.thaanpend-- ed.,claims 5 ratherethann-.toi the .foregoing deff.Y scriptiento,findcategfthel.scope tof'. the .infZ venten Y l -I-claim l. 2Ashipping'-aontanercomprisng .pair Offblanks efe-'fibre' 012paneeboars'eaeh fiorini., ingta sidegri/'all .andan ,tippen and rloiiver0.10.1 -f Siireartfapait @fen-fl va1lf1blanl s-hatina i lapson atleasttvvo opposite sides tl1`1l1fs-e cured to said.sidewallawhereby;theslipping 2! 'A' Shippma fonteinen Lemmi-Sina.foar...

for the top bottom o'g-thje container, the.. remaining AtWopblankshaving," extensionsfjo.' provide at'tachingand reinforcing liapslonopposite Asides-i--t-hereo adjacent said sidewalls,- and means securingsaid attaching to` the adjacent ends of said side walls wherebyreinforced vertical corners are provided.

3. A four-piece libre shipping container comprising two rectangular,scored blanks providing two opposed side wall portions and two pairs ofcooperating closure flaps, two additional rectangular blanks for theremaining two opposed side walls, said blanks having flaps projectingfrom each side thereof, land means securing corresponding opposed pairsof said flaps to the side wall portions of said irst mentioned blankswhereby reinforced corners will be provided and said container may becollapsed to a flat condition for storage and shipment.

4. A four-piece fibre shipping container f comprising a pair ofrectangular, scored flap extensions blanks providing two opposed sidewall portions and two pairs of cooperating closure flaps, a pair ofadditional rectangular blanks for the remaining two opposed side walls,on one of said pairs of blanks adapted to secure said blanks together attheir vertical corners whereby said vertical corners are reinforced, andadditional liaps on said last mentioned pair of blanks providingadditional pairs of flaps at the top and bottom of the container forcooperation with said rst mentioned closure fla-ps.

5. Al four-piece bre shipping container comprising two rectangular,scored blanks providing two opposed side wall portions and two pairs ofcooperating closure flaps, two additional rectangular blanks for theremaining two opposed side walls, said blanks having faps projectingfrom each side thereof, means securing corresponding opposed pairs ofsaid iiaps to the side wall portions of said first mentioned blankswhereby reinforced corners will be provided and said container may becollapsed to a fiat condition, and one or more metal bands disposedaround said container and embracing said reinforced corners.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 17th day of September, 1929.

CLARENCE J. GATES, JR.

